EEGS webinar tackles affiliate role in responsible iGaming

The Eastern European Gaming Summit (EEGS) hosted a webinar on May 13 focused on a critical challenge in iGaming: how affiliates can stay commercially effective while prioritizing player protection.

The session, titled “Balancing Compliance and Conversion: The Affiliate’s Role in Responsible Gaming,” featured Gjorgje Ristikj, founder of Gamblers Connect and CEO of RankRadar, as the keynote speaker.

Ristikj emphasized that affiliates are increasingly taking on functions traditionally held by internal marketing teams. These include advanced SEO tactics, audience segmentation, responsible gaming communication, and adherence to transparency standards.

He noted that operators increasingly rely on affiliates not just to drive traffic but to uphold brand integrity, especially in competitive or newly regulated markets.

A central theme was the rising expectation for affiliates to promote safe gaming environments through the quality of their content and the selection of brands they endorse. 

Ristikj showcased a Responsible Gambling Scoring Index developed by Gamblers Connect, which rates operators based on key responsible gaming features and publicly shares the scores to empower players—reflecting a broader industry trend to embed responsible gaming throughout the user journey.

The webinar also addressed rising costs for affiliates, who are moving from revenue-share deals to fixed fees to sustain quality content, platforms, and tracking, especially as privacy rules tighten.

Further, the session spotlighted the rise of video-driven affiliate strategies and personal branding as crucial differentiators in an increasingly crowded marketplace. New entrants, often backed by agencies or former operator teams, are deploying aggressive strategies where trust and transparency become essential for long-term success.

The EEGS Affiliate Webinar is part of a broader initiative by EEGS to provide actionable insights and elevate the strategic role of affiliates in the global iGaming industry. You can watch the full session here.